Tuesday, July 29, 2014

ESPAÑOLThe campus of the Federal University of the Far East (FEFU in English or DVFU in Russian) is one of the most modern in Russia.Located on Russky Island is connected to the port-city of Vladivostok by the longest bridge in the world.Its
construction symbolized the modernization of the city (which had been
neglegted by the central goverment for decades), and a commitment to develop an
integrated approach to landscape architecture.

BACKGROUNDRussky (97.6 km ²),
an island larger than that of Hong Kong, is located at the southern
tip of the peninsula Muraiov-Amurski, served as a military base for more
than a century, but after the fall of the Soviet Union its numerous
fortifications were abandoned.The
island has various geographical features, including the small bay of
Ajax which served as a perfect location for construction of the new campus of the
university. The buildings were firstly used as headquarters of APEC, Asia
Pacific Economic Cooperation in 2012.

This event was an opportunity for Russia to focus its attention to the economies of the Pacific.It may be ironic but since the Soviet Revolution Vladivosttok, despite its strategic location, turned its back to the Pacific and related mainly to Moscow. During the Cold War the city was a military base and had limited access to the Russians themselves. As a result after the communist era there was a continuous decline in population due to lack of opportunities.Due to
the European economic crisis and accelerated growth of neighbouring China, the development of Vladivostok and Russky Island became a priority
for the Russian government.

Campus during its construction process

I have witnessed this rapid development.When I first came in 2009 the city lacked many services and infrastructure and it looked gloomy and backward.In March 2012 it was in the process of building, working against time to complete the work for the mega-event.In
October 2012, the city looked unrecognizable from that one that saw just
three years ago, ravishing as a bride just after her wedding party.Some
of the most important facilities that were built in the city were a new airport
and highway, two new bridges, one waste treatment plant and the new
campus for the FEFU.

During the APEC 2012, an event that brought together several countries of the Asia-Pacific

Russky Bridge (or Russian Bridge), the longest in the world

NEW CAMPUSPerhaps
the aspect I most value in the design of the campus is its respect for
the site and topography, especially in contrast with the chaotic layout of
various sectors of the city, which copied the template of residential
units designed in Moscow or St. Petersburg regardless of the site, climate or environment of the territory in which they were built.This circumstance makes daily life difficult, especially during heavy rains in summer or winter frost.

Floods happen every year in the city due to the design of
the urban layout and lack of storm drain infrastructure.Both aspects have been taken into account in the design of the new university campus.

In
contrast, the many buildings that make up the campus are arranged
radially following a path parallel to the topography of the bay.The geographical conformation embraces the urban university setting, almost like a womb protecting a body inside.

The layout
sits gently on the topography through three parallel and concentric roads . There are a few perpendicular sreets, but they are mainly connected by pedestrian
walkways.

54 of
the 120 acres that make up the campus are occupied by parks and green areas,
which allow good environmental and visual quality, enables all
buildings enjoy vistas of the sea and at the same time absorb the more rough areas of topographic relief.In the center of the radial composition is a large park that ends in a promenade in the border with the sea.Topographic
differences are taken into account to generate waterfalls, forests or landscape compositions that enhance the strolling experience through the campus.

Details of the landscape design of the park

The
buildings are grouped into 3 areas: the central administrative area, to the east laboratories and classrooms are
located and university
residences are place to the north.

The main entrance is dominated by a 8 storey building containing multiple services, a bank, a library and the offices of rector.The main façade appears as a fragmented cube, to which glass edges overlap.

The back facade is dominated by an extensive curved glass screen.The building is crowned by a large parasol that gives unity to the composition of the volume.

The
building wraps a large central hall to which numerous
terraces overlook. From inside, the visitor is received by spectacular views due to the wide glass wall .

On both sides of this building many administrative and management areas, auditoriums, cafeterias and office functions are located.The blocks containing, classrooms, laboratories, meeting rooms, etc. are arranged in different levels according to the topography.At one end there is the pool and the gym, which is occassionaly used for regional and international events.

Details of the gym and pool, which is also one of the buildings of the Faculty of Arts, Culture and Sports

An
important detail is that these buildings are linked by bridges of steel
and glass, which not only give the complex a futuristic image, but are particularly
useful during the long six winter months where the temperature can reach
25C below zero.

A bridge connecting two buildings of the Faculty of Arts, Culture and Sports

Featuring
an eclectic style, different from the glassy and metallic lines of the educational and administrative buildings, the dormitories (here called hotels) are formed by terraced volumes arranged in a U-shape open to the sea, also integrated to the the topographic relief. Their
shape contrasts with the massive blocks that characterized the bedrooms
of the old campus, examples of the dreary Soviet modern architecture.Besides the appartments for students and professors, these hotels include cantines, restaurants, services and convenience stores.

The library, on the right, is one of the buildings is still working in the old campus in downtown Vladivostok.In the background the old dormitory, in modern style as it was popular in the Soviet era.

The terracing of the residences evokes the slope of the topography of the island.

During the summer, the population makes use of the park and the beach

Other facilities include parkings and the bus terminal buses that serve campus, the medical center and the power plant, which although is located outside the
campus, it provides heat and hot water to the entire population of 20,000
students living at the univbersity.The
new campus of the University FEFU has become a new symbol for the
development of the city and in particular of the Russky Island.A
few kilometers away, the new aquarium of the Primorye region is under construction
and given the enormous potential of the island, there are ideas for the
development of new metropolitan regional
and international research centers and recreation facilities.However we expect that this would be also an opportunity to make the island an example of environmentally sustainable design.

MY ARCHITECTURAL MOLESKINE

MY ARCHITECTURAL MOLESKINE

Notes on the fly throughout an exciting journey, a logboof of emotions and senses while walking between architectural spaces bathed in light, surrounded by landscape, or being part of it.

Just like in a moleskine - that notebook where travelers compiled writings and drawings of their visits- this blog offers you, dear reader, my own collection based on my personal experience about interesting sites visited in recent years.

Welcome to My Architectural Moleskine

"What I hear, I forget; what I read, I remember; what I do, I learn; what I teach, I know."

Old Chinese proverb.

About me

Architect and urban designer, professor in universities in Peru and Russia. Post PhD. researcher on urban design and landscape in Japan. Earned his PhD in Urban Environmental Planning at Kyoto University, Japan and Master degrees in Sustainability in Argentina and Environmental Management in Peru.

The texts, graphics and photos, unless otherwise stated, belong to the author of this blog.They may be used for personal and academic purposes, as long as the respective authors and source are acknowledged.Its use is not allowed for commercial purposes.